Smash, Octopath Traveler, and Ports… Glorious Ports
Well…wow. That was a Nintendo Direct that started off with all of us here being generally pretty whelmed before dropping a major bombshell on us. Let’s get started with our thoughts on the biggest news to come out of this Direct, shall we?
Smash 4 Deluxe! … Or is it?
Kei Isobe: When I heard the splatting noises at first, for some reason my mind defaulted to a Portal 2 release for Switch. But after I saw the second Inkling, my suspicions that this was Smash kept going up and up… then we saw the background turn black, and that apocalyptic, burning Smash logo in the distance. So it looks like we’re getting Smash this year, with Inklings as a new fighter and, at the very least, Breath of the Wild Link as a playable character as well. For me personally, I think that it’s a 2018 release points to the fact that this game is much closer to Smash for 3DS/Wii U than a fully fledged new game, but with new characters and, perhaps, significantly revamped movesets for legacy characters who have stayed much the same through several iterations. What do you guys think?
David Silbert: Agreed. As I mentioned in my predictions article prior to the Direct, there’s really no need for Nintendo to rush a new Smash game out the door when there’s an entire base of Nintendo fans who never played (or, at the very least, never owned) Smash 4 on account of it being on Wii U. Miyamoto has also stated that Nintendo aims to have a longer life cycle for the Switch than past Nintendo consoles (can’t blame them; if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it), so it makes sense that a real Smash 5 could come, albeit further down the line. But yeah, I like what I’m seeing with this initial teaser; Inklings are in, Mario and Link look fierce as ever, and there’s always a chance we could get some great new stages and modes out of this iteration.
KI: Yeah, and it looks Nintendo isn’t committing hard in either direction—it looks like for now they’re going with “Nintendo Switch Super Smash Bros. (working title)” for the title so far. And while every iteration of Smash thus far has tinkered with the platform fighting “base” that was established with Smash 64, I agree that Smash 4 doesn’t need a lot of changes (although I wouldn’t be opposed to it). Revamping the movesets of series vets to match modern entries while adding some new DLC characters (and likely removing some of the 3rd party or fringe popular characters like Dark Pit or Lucina) feels like it would be just enough to feel new and fresh.
I am intrigued by the choice in presentation—that was a very dark, very intense trailer for Smash, and Sakurai has actually talked about the aesthetic themes of Smash before. Melee incorporated “fire” into its aesthetic to represent the passion of battle—to burn—while Brawl’s cover featured a blue sky, to represent a more carefree feel. And Smash 4 utilized both, perhaps to represent a marriage of the two, or to emphasize the dual nature of the game due to being on two platforms. And now we have this fire and darkness aesthetic? I’m intrigued. Perhaps it even points towards a more involved story mode than Smash 4—something that would be very welcome given how severely lackluster that game’s single player content was.
Ports, Ports, Ports, p o r t s
KI: Just to recap, here’s a list of ports or remasters that were announced today in this direct: Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story (3DS), Luigi’s Mansion (3DS), Okami HD, Crash Bandicoot Trilogy, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (for Switch and 3DS), Undertale, Little Nightmares, South Park: The Fractured But Whole, and Hyrule Warriors Definitive Edition. Obviously, more content is better than no content, and padding out the Nintendo Switch release schedule, which was looking somewhat sparse, isn’t a bad thing. But still…that’s honestly a lot of games I already own, and this was where the whole “whelmed” impression of this Direct that I had was kicking in.
DS: I definitely see where you’re coming from here. Personally, I haven’t purchased many of these games—Crash, Little Nightmares, South Park—so I’m certainly looking forward to playing them on Switch. Ports of legacy titles are also never a bad thing as far as I’m concerned—I’m pretty psyched about getting the chance to dive back into The World Ends With You (a game I love to death) as well as Dark Souls and Okami (games I sadly never finished on their original consoles). That being said, it was a bit disappointing not to get any new tidbits on Metroid Prime 4, Pokemon (Switch), or Fire Emblem (Switch). Also… are we just never going to get Mother 3? This is getting insulting at this point.
KI: The further along we get in the Switch lifecycle, the less accurate some of the early leaks have become (in particular Eurogamer and Emily Rogers, regarding things like Mother 3). And to reiterate, I’m not really disappointed with ports—that would be some petty console war shenanigans—but I was a bit worried that we wouldn’t get any info on some of the upcoming first-party slate. Frankly, Fire Emblem not being here was a shock to me—it’s already March and it’s supposedly a 2018 game. And I don’t think it’ll do well if it releases in the bloodbath of fall. Maybe they’ll sneak it into December 2018 like they did with Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
PJ Manning: I want to remind you that we really didn’t get any Super Mario Odyssey news until E3, only to have it drop a few months later. That trailer was our first look at the capture mechanic and a legitimate name. Fire Emblem, while a Nintendo IP with a rich history, will undoubtedly be a far “smaller” game in terms of Nintendo significance. That’s just the juggernaut-level power of Mario. I wouldn’t rule it out just yet.
I also want to acknowledge that we have a GameCube port (Luigi’s Mansion). This is nearly unheard of. Sure, choosing the 3DS over the Switch is a little surprising (getting some Mario 64 DS vibes), but this may honestly be one of the first GameCube ports we’ve ever seen, definitely in recent memory. The only other ports I can think of are Metroid Prime 1 and 2 for the Wii. Funnily enough, when the collection was brought to the Wii U, they opted to bring over that Wii version instead of the GameCube one, choosing a port of a port over giving us more GameCube games. Long story short, any GameCube port is a huge deal in my opinion. Luigi’s Mansion is a phenomenal choice at that. Really one of the GameCube’s best, if not underrated, games.
DS: Agreed that there’s still plenty of time for Fire Emblem. Nintendo seemingly wanted to push Mario Tennis Aces and Octopath Traveler as its two big Q2 releases with this Direct. Them announcing Smash here gives hardcore fans a taste of what’s surely to come at E3 2018. Fire Emblem, Pokémon, Metroid, Smash… the heavy hitters will certainly get more mention during the latter half of the year.
As for GameCube ports, I can’t really blame Nintendo for bringing the Wii versions of Metroid Prime 1 and 2 to Wii U. I feel like the motions controls added a lot to the experience (to this day, pointing to shoot was a big reason why I loved Metroid Prime 3: Corruption so much). Also… Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD have kept the love going for the GameCube (kind of bummed neither got a surprise port announcement for Switch though). Still holding out hope for a Super Mario Sunshine remaster/remake!
3DS Still Getting Love in 2018 (and 2019 apparently)
DS: I guess it shouldn’t really surprise me that the 3DS train is still chugging along. Reggie stated back at E3 2017 that the 3DS would be supported “well into 2018 and beyond,” and Nintendo certainly delivered on that here.
If we break down the news, there’s really not a ton of new stuff announced for the 3DS, but for a 7 year old (and counting) handheld, I’m gonna say that’s pretty much par for the course at this point. Detective Pikachu (which looks hype; I love Pikachu’s gruffy voice), WarioWare Gold (an excellent compilation for someone like me who’s never played a WarioWare game before), Sushi Striker: Way of the Sushido (essentially irrelevant because it’s now coming to Switch too) and the bonkers looking Dillon’s Dead-Heat Breakers provide the initial skeleton for this lineup. Throw in some very welcome ports in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker and Luigi’s Mansion, and 2018 is looking better than ‘arid,’ which should have easily been the reality for the 3DS by now. Also, Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story for 2019? Really? It’s only March and the 3DS is already making plans to continue staying relevant next year.
KI: I’m not so sure that we’re really going to hit the “beyond” point of Reggie’s statement, but it’s definitely not as barren as I thought it might be. I think Atlus might have some games up their sleeve as well– they did just release Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology in February, and JRPGs will always be a good fit on handheld. Some DS and Wii U ports and eShop games will keep that little handheld afloat for some months to come, I feel.
I have to disagree with you on Detective Pikachu’s voice though, David– maybe I bought into the Danny-Devito-as-Detective-Pikachu meme more than I should have, but his voice just sounds…off, to me. But that’s all just personal opinion.
Also, WarioWare for 3DS and not Switch? Nintendo, you’re killing me here.
Octopath Traveler Drops the ‘Project’ Bit, Out in July
DS: Now this is my jam. While I’ve had my ups and downs with Square Enix over the past twelve years, I am convinced that 2018 is going to be a big year for them. If all goes according to plan, we’re going to have Kingdom Hearts III, Dragon Quest XI, The World Ends With You: Final Mix, and a brand new IP in Octopath Traveler.
I loved what I played of the demo, particularly the mature backstory of Primrose the dancer and the game’s equally mature voice acting (an awful lot of cussing for a Square Enix RPG). While Tokyo RPG Factory’s I Am Setsuna/Lost Sphear combo has gotten some flak for being repetitive and unoriginal, Octopath Traveler could be one of the more unique games to come out of Square Enix in some time now. Also, I’m digging the fact that they’re officially keeping the name “Octopath Traveler.” I think it’s a nice fit given game’s focus on eight separate characters. Hell of a lot better than “Bravely Default: Flying Fairy” or “Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 – Final Chapter Prologue.” What do you think, Kei?
KI: I’m actually pretty intrigued by Octopath Traveler, and ironically, despite my heritage (Japanese), I’m much more of a CRPG/Western RPG guy than a JRPG guy. A notch more mature and serious than Bravely Default sounds great, and hopefully with the feedback from demos and Tokyo RPG Factory’s other entries (I know they’re a different studio, but they’re under the Square Enix umbrella) we’ll see a more polished product. Gathering feedback from demos worked very well for Nioh last year, and I hope Square Enix can replicate that success.
Mario Shows Some New Tricks With Mario Tennis Aces
KI: So, uh…the games seems like it’s added some layers of depth, and I enjoyed the visual of a Chain Chomp wielding a tennis racket. Still, I don’t really have a lot to say about the Mario sports series. Do you guys have any input?
DS: Just that Mario Tennis on Game Boy Color had some of the most intense gameplay I’ve ever experienced, period. One of our mutual friends (I can elaborate offline) introduced it to me years ago, and I had a blast with it back then. If Mario Tennis Aces has even a shred of the heart and soul of that initial title (or its N64 counterpart), then I’m excited for it come June 22.
PM: Unless I’m mistaken, Mario Tennis had a near-insulting release on the Wii U. As far as I can tell, this will be a welcomed return to grace for the franchise. Visually, it looks stunning. Rosalina was a surprise fan favorite, so I always enjoy watching Nintendo give such a recent Mario celebrity some love. But lastly, I have never been more excited for motion controls. I’m getting huge Wii Sports tennis vibes which may be the highest praise a video game could get. Wii Sports gameplay under a Mario skin? This could turn into the party game the Switch so direly needs.
Splatoon 2 Gets a Wacky New Single-Player Expansion
DS: Not sure how I feel about this, to be honest. I guess I should preface this by saying that I love what Nintendo’s been doing to support its games post launch. The free weapons and maps for Splatoon 2, the free characters and modes for Arms, the quality paid single-player DLC for Breath of the Wild and Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle… there’s a lot to love about how Nintendo’s been stretching the shelf life of many of these Switch games.
At the same time, however, I wasn’t a huge fan of the original single player for Splatoon 2. Lots of mindless shooting without much of the tension or challenge that a multiplayer or Salmon Run match would bring me. I know neither of you have really dabbled in the game, but what do you think of Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion at first glance? (Personally, I would much rather have some new worlds for Super Mario Odyssey or tracks for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.)
KI: Honestly, I feel a little bad for Splatoon 2 in that they were basically used as bait for a Smash teaser, which overshadowed the DLC expansion. I can’t comment on the gameplay, but Nintendo seems to be taking a very reasonable approach to extending the life cycle of their games. And while I felt that the underexplained nature of the expansion’s trailer really didn’t do it any favors, I loved that it’s trying something new (and the cute references they threw in to some real-life celebrities).
No More Heroes: Travis Strikes Again Looks Wildly Bizarre
DS: I think we can all agree that Travis Strikes Again is shaping up to be one heck of a weird game. While I never really had the chance to play and experience No More Heroes and No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle, I’m cautiously looking forward to this. Suda51 can do no wrong for me, and as long as the individual gameplay bits each hold up in their own way, I could see this being a dark horse candidate for best Switch title of 2018. Now if only we could get a No More Heroes 1 & 2 port collection on Switch à la Bayonetta…
KI: As someone who played Killer Is Dead, I can definitely say that Suda51 can commit some wrongs. I’m not very sold on Travis Strikes Again, to be honest. Suda51 has had his hits and misses when it comes to hack-and-slash games, and the compartmentalization of different genres into a single game by an eclectic auteur can come at the cost of overall polish. Still, it was flashy and aesthetic and cool, which is par for the course for Suda51, I can only hope the gameplay keeps pace. Although, I agree with you, David, that a No More Heroes 1 and 2 port would have been amazing.
What did you think of yesterday’s Nintendo Direct? Did it meet your expectations?
Let us know in the comments!
